Operating mechanism for cigarette lighter



Feb. 14, 1967 J. E. AYRES 3,303,673

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed Nov. 2, 1964 44 INVENTOR:7 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,303,673 OPERATING MECHANISM FORCIGARETTE LIGHTER John Erskine Ayres, 1563 Coles Ave., Mountainside, NJ.07092 Filed Nov. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 408,168 3 Claims. (Cl. 67-71) Thepresent invention relates to new and useful improvements in operatingmechanisms for cigarette lighters. It relates, more particularly, to asnulfer for opening and closing the gas discharge port of a gas burningcigarette lighter.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and effectiveoperating mechanism for a cigarette lighter by means of which a fueldischarge port of a gas operated lighter can be opened or closed whilethe lighter is held in one hand by the user and which does not requireshifting of the lighters position in the users hand to operate the sparkproducing mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanism fora cigarette lighter which insures that there will be no leakage or lossof fuel when the lighter is not in use and operating mechanism is inclosed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanismfor a cigarette lighter which is constructed in such a way that the userwill not inadvertently fail to close the discharge port of the lighterafter use. This is particularly important with a gas-operated lighter asthe escape of fuel in the form of gas when the flame has beenextinguished is diflicult to detect visually and upon failure to closethe discharge port, the escape of fuel will quickly exhaust the supplyof fuel and make the lighter inoperative.

Other objectives and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent and be better understood from the following description and theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a lighter having an operatingmechanism embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side View in vertical section along line 22 of the lightershown in FIG. 1 and is drawn to a larger scale;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view in vertical section of the lightershown in FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrating certain details of the operatingmechanism in closed position and is drawn to a larger scale than FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view in vertical section corresponding toFIG. 3, but with the operating mechanism in open position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view in vertical section of a portion ofthe lighter operating mechanism shown in FIG. 4 with the section beingtaken in a different plane than in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary end view in section taken along line 6-6, ofFIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is a hollow lighter body10 which is preferably molded of plastic and forms a chamber 11containing a supply 12 of a vaporizable gas producing fuel, such asisobutane, under pressure in liquid form.

Generally speaking, the lighter body and certain other parts of thelighter are similar to those described in my copending application forUnited States Letters Patent, Serial No. 132,047, filed August 17, 1961,for Disposable Gas Operated Cigarette Lighter, now US. Patent No.3,154,935, issued November 3, 1964, and reference may be made theretofor a more detailed description.

3,303,673 Patented Feb. 14, 1967 If desired, an inlet passageway 13 maybe formed in the bottom of the lighter body for the filling or refillingof the chamber with fuel. A plug or diaphragm 14 of rubber or the likewhich extends across and closes the inner end of the inlet passageway isheld in place by a collar 15 which is cemented in place. Fuel underpressure in liquid form may be introduced into the fuel chamber underpressure through a hollow needle (not shown) which pierces the rubberdiaphragm. The rubber diaphragm is self sealing and closes upon removalof the needle.

An upper end wall 16 of the fuel chamber in the lighter body contains aninternal choke-receiving recess or cavity 17 which communicates at itsupper end with a short, restricted discharge passageway 18 leading to anoutlet opening in the exterior surface of the upper end wall of thelighter body. A raised protuberance 19 formed on the exterior surface ofthe upper end wall of the lighter body surrounds the outlet opening ofthe discharge passageway.

A choke 20 which controls the rate at which fuel can pass from the fuelchamber to the discharge passageway is press fitted into the recess inthe upper wall of the lighter body. The choke is pre-set for a maximumdesired discharge rate and comprises a cylindrical body 21 of resilientmaterial, such as rubber, having a cotton thread 22 of about of an inchin diameter extending through the center thereof and to the bottom ofthe fuel chamber so that the lower end of the thread will be immersed inthe supply of fuel in liquid form. A screw 23 is threaded in an openingin one side of the lighter body With its inner end being positioned tobear against the cylindrical rubber body of the choke at a pointintermediate its ends. By turning the screw so as to cause inwardmovement of its end and thereby exert pressure on the body of the choke,the rate at which fuel passes through the choke and the size or lengthof the flame produced can be reduced to suit the users requirement.

The flame control and choke referred to above are more fully describedand claimed in my application for United States Letters Patent, SerialNo. 408,167, being filed concurrently herewith and references may bemade thereto for additional details.

A flame guard and flint wheel supporting member 24 which may be formedas a separate piece is carried on top of the lighter body with a portionthereof extending over the outlet of the discharge passageway. As shown,the flame guard and flint'wheel supporting member fits into a relievedportion at one side of the lighter body.

The flame guard and flint Wheel supporting member which may be molded ofa flame resistant, thermosetting material such as a phenolic resin, hasa pair of spaced forwardly extending side walls 25. The spaced sidewalls define a slotted opening 26 which extends over the outlet openingof the discharge passageway in the upper wall of the lighter body and anoperating member 27 is pivot ally mounted on a pin 28 in the slottedopening immediately above the discharge passageway in the lighter body.The pin is supported by and extends between the spaced side walls.

The operating member which may be termed a snufler, includes a rotatablebody 29 through the center of which the supporting pin extends and acurved operating lever 30 is connected to and extends from the rotatablebody. The pivoted or rotatable body has a curved lower surface opposingthe discharge outlet in the lighter body. An arcuately shaped sealinginsert 29A made of a resilient or deformable material, such as buna-Nrubber of 65 durometer, is carried on the curved lower surface of thebody of the operating member and deformably engages with the surface ofthe lighter body surrounding the discharge outlet while permittingmovement of the body of the operating member through an angle of about90 between its closed and open positions. I

In closed position, as shown in FIG. 3, the resilient insert carried bythe rotatable body is in sealing engagement with the protuberance on thelighter body and closes the discharge port. Under these conditions, theouter end of the curved operating lever extends over a flint wheel 31 ina position where it is readily accessible for movement of the operatingmember to open position prior to operation of the flint wheel.

When the operating member is moved to its open position, as shown inFIG. 4, the base of the operating lever engages with a stop bar 32extending between the side walls of the flame guard member and apassageway 33 which extends through the resilient insert, is alignedwith the discharge port in the lighter body. The entrance to thepassageway in the insert may be relieved or tapered slightly so as toreceive the protuberance surrounding the discharge port and insure itsalignment with the discharge port.

The passageway in the resilient insert communicates with an enlargedbore 34 in the body of the operating member which in turn communicateswith a bore 35 of reduced size extending through the body of theoperating member to a discharge outlet from which gas which produces theflame escapes as indicated in FIG. 4. The pin on which the body of theoperating member is pivotally supported extends transversely through thebody and through the enlarged bore therein which is made large enough topermit passage of gas therethrough to the re duced bore.

As shown in FIG. 5, interengaging detent means may be provided on thelighter body and the operating member to hold the operating member inits open or closed position. The detent means comprises spacedprojections 36 and 37 extending from the curved surface of the rotatablebody of the operating member and a pair of projections 38 on theopposing surface of the lighter body which form a mating recess for theprojections on the rotatable body.

When the operating member is in its open position as shown in FIG. 4, itwill be noted that the outer end of the operating lever extends wellbeyond the lighter body and serves as a reminder to move the operatingmember to closed position even though the flame may have beenextinguished prior to such movement.

The flame guard member is shaped at its rear so as to fit betweenupstanding spaced walls which are formed as part of the lighter body.The flint wheel is mounted in a recess 39A which extends rearwardly fromthe slotted opening defined by the spaced side walls of the flame guardmember and is rotatably supported on a rivet or pin 39 which extendsthrough portions of the flame guard member defining said recess andalso, through the upstanding side walls of the lighter body. The flintwheel supporting rivet and a dowel pin 40 which extends through theflame guard member and the upstanding walls on the lighter body serve tosecure the flame guardmember in place on top of the lighter body.

A flint 41 extends through an opening 42 in the flame guard memberbeneath the flint wheel and is urged into engagement with the flintwheel by a compression spring 43. The spring is located in a well 44formed in the top or upper wall of the lighter body.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be madein the particular embodiment of the invention which has been illustratedand described herein without departing from the scope of the inventionas defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a gas-burning cigarette lighter of the type which includes ahollow body defining a fuel chamber containing a supply of inflammablegas under pressure and in liquid form, said body having an end wallcontaining a discharge outlet with said outlet being in communicationwith said fuel chamber, the improvement which comprises:

(a) a pair of spaced walls of rigid material carried by and extendingupwardly from the upper wall of the lighter body on opposite sides ofthe discharge outlet;

(b) a shaft extending between said side walls at a point above thedischarge outlet;

( c) a control member of rigid material pivotally mounted on said shaftin the space between said upstanding walls with an arcuate surfacethereof opposing said discharge outlet;

(d) said control member being manually movable between an open positionand a closed position and having a bore extending therethrough;

(e) said bore having an end located in said arcuate surface andcommunicating with the discharge outlet in the lighter body in the openposition of the control member;

(f) a sealing member of resilient material carried by the arcuatesurface of the control member and entering into sealing engagement withan exterior surface of the lighter body surrounding the discharge outletin both the open and closed positions of the control member,

(g) said sealing member having a passageway extending therethrough andcommunicating with the bore in the control member and with the dischargeoutlet in the open position of the control member; and

(h) an operating lever connected to the control memher;

(i) said operating lever having a free end extending beyond the spacedwalls when the control member is in its open position.

2. In a gas burning lighter, the improvement as defined in claim 1 whichincludes,

(a) interengaging detent means formed on opposing surfaces of thelighter body and the control member for releasably holding the controlmember in its open and closed positions.

3. In a gas burning lighter, the improvement as defined in claim 1 whichincludes,

(a) a flint; and

(b) a spark wheel engaging with said flint at a point between the spacedupstanding walls and adjacent a discharge end of the bore extendingthrough the control member when the control member is in its openposition.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITEDv STATES PATENTS 1,051,688 1/1913Cole 222536 2,710,533 6/1955 Fisher et al 67-7.1 2,717,726 9/1955 Mart222-536 2,938,653 5/1960 Church 222536 3,148,522 9/1964 Court 67- 7.13,154,935 11/1964 Ayres 677.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 476,085 12/1937 Great Britain.

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A GAS-BURNING CIGARETTE LIGHTER OF THE TYPE WHICH INCLUDES AHOLLOW BODY DEFINING A FUEL CHAMBER CONTAINING A SUPPLY OF INFLAMMABLEGAS UNDER PRESSURE AND IN LIQUID FORM, SAID BODY HAVING AN END WALLCONTAINING A DISCHARGE OUTLET WITH SAID OUTLET BEING IN COMMUNICATIONWITH SAID FUEL CHAMBER, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A PAIR OFSPACED WALLS OF RIGID MATERIAL CARRIED BY AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROMTHE UPPER WALL OF THE LIGHTER BODY ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE DISCHARGEOUTLET; (B) A SHAFT EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS AT A POINT ABOVETHE DISCHARGE OUTLET; (C) A CONTROL MEMBER OF RIGID MATERIAL PIVOTALLYMOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID UPSTANDING WALLS WITH ANARCUATE SURFACE THEREOF OPPOSING SAID DISCHARGE OUTLET; (D) SAID CONTROLMEMBER BEING MANUALLY MOVABLE BETWEEN AN OPEN POSITION AND A CLOSEDPOSITION AND HAVING A BORE EXTENDING THERETHROUGH; (E) SAID BORE HAVINGAN END LOCATED IN SAID ARCUATE SURFACE AND COMMUNICATING WITH THEDISCHARGE OUTLET IN THE LIGHTER BODY IN THE OPEN POSITION OF THE CONTROLMEMBER; (F) A SEALING MEMBER OF RESILIENT MATERIAL CARRIED BY THEARCUATE SURFACE OF THE CONTROL MEMBER AND ENTERING INTO SEALINGENGAGEMENT WITH AN EXTERIOR SURFACE OF THE LIGHTER BODY SURROUNDING THEDISCHARGE OUTLET IN BOTH THE OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS OF THE CONTROLMEMBER, (G) SAID SEALING MEMBER HAVING A PASSAGEWAY EXTENDINGTHERETHROUGH AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE BORE IN THE CONTROL MEMBER ANDWITH THE DISCHARGE OUTLET IN THE OPEN POSITION OF THE CONTROL MEMBER;AND (H) AN OPERATING LEVER CONNECTED TO THE CONTROL MEMBER; (I) SAIDOPERATING LEVER HAVING A FREE END EXTENDING BEYOND THE SPACED WALLS WHENTHE CONTROL MEMBER IS IN ITS OPEN POSITION.